A continuously variable transmission in which a belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism having an endless belt wound around a pair of pulleys and a transmission formed from a gear train having a plurality of meshing gears are combined via a plurality of clutches, and the direction of torque transmission of the belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism is switched between a first direction in which torque is transmitted from one of the pulleys to the other pulley and a second direction in which torque is transmitted from the other pulley to the one pulley so as to enlarge the overall gear ratio is known from Patent Document 1 below.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-48377